Driving Home For Christmas
by Kat Evans
Summary: Just a little something. May develop into longer story, depends how many reviews I get. Basically the reunion of Ash and Mary-Lynette. Lots of fluff. Short chapters.
1. 22nd of December Ash

It was the 22nd of December and there was a party going on. It was the Winter Solstice and, due to the large amount of witches in Circle Daybreak, there were three parties in under a fortnight at the home of Thierry Descouedres. The current one was for the Solstice, and then in a few days there would be a Christmas one, and then, a week later, a New Years one. Everyone was in the common room (that had been converted into a ballroom for the next few nights), dancing and enjoying themselves.

Everyone except Ash.

Sitting upstairs on a comfy chair next to a balcony overlooking the common room, Ash was lonely. Looking down he could see James and Poppy, absorbed in each others eyes, Lord Thierry and Lady Hannah, him stroking her birthmark tenderly, and even Rashel and Quinn, doing something that was somewhere between dancing and a method of fighting. It looked artistic and slightly dangerous; people were giving them a wide berth.

Everyone with their soulmates. Ash was the only one alone.

He had written to Mary-Lynette at the year mark of their meeting. He had been busy with Circle Daybreak work and knew she would understand. That hadn't made it any easier. She had written back, commending his choice. He could tell she had struggled just as much as he had. That didn't make it easier either.

A new song came on the stereo as Ash got up and moved onto the outside balcony. It was colder than usual, but as they were in Nevada, it was still warm. Leaning on the railings, Ash caught on to the song drifting through the open French windows.

"_Nobody ought to be, all alone on Christmas…"_

Darlene Love had it right. He missed Mary-Lynette. He missed her badly. Looking up at the sky, he thought of the last thing he had said to her. And now, he hoped she remembered.

And maybe, just maybe, she would be looking up, and thinking of him too.


	2. 22nd of December Mary Lynette

It was the 22nd of December and there was a party going on. There were only five people though, and of them, three were vampires. Rowan and Kestrel were fiddling with the sound system, Jade and Mark, were sitting together, happy to just be together.

Mary-Lynette was curled up in the single chair, eyes closed. Without opening them she spoke;

"Remind me why tonight is so special?"

"It's the Winter Solstice. The witches will be celebrating and it's part of our bringing up. Last year we were little busy trying to stay under the radar. This year we can celebrate" Rowan said, turning and smiling calmly.

The mother figure of the three sisters, Rowan was always calm. Well, unless she was in an organizing mood. Or angry. Or hunting. But around people, she was calm.

Mary-Lynette stood up as Kestrel reclaimed Rowan's attention. She moved quietly out of the room, outside on the wooden porch. The girls had learnt to be careful now but when they first arrived, it had caused them some sore shins and elbows. Half smiling, she remembered when Ash has fallen through the floor of the porch. That had taken several days work to repair.

Think about Ash saddened her. She knew why he hadn't come; she kept the letter, his letter, nearby at all times. And she was proud of him in a way. But she still missed him.

Looking up at the sky, she thought of the last thing he had said to her. And now, she hoped he remembered.

And maybe, just maybe, he would be looking up, and thinking of her too.


	3. 22nd of December MaryLynette L8r

That night, driving home with Mark, a song came on the stereo. It wasn't one that was uncommon; in fact it was one Claudine played often.

"_Nobody ought to be, all alone on Christmas…"_

The words sent a sudden awareness through her. Darlene Love was right. And Mary-Lynette knew it. Only half aware of the fact she was still driving, she found her mind uncannily sharp.

Ash wouldn't come to Oregon. He had promised not to. And she knew he would keep that promise. But she hadn't promised to stay in Oregon. And she knew where he was staying; his letter had had a return address, that was how she had replied. Nevada wasn't so far away. She could get there by Christmas Eve if she left tomorrow. Go via the I-84 and the I-15. Sleep in Salt Lake City.

Then her heart fell. Claudine would never agree to it, not this close to Christmas. But then again, she didn't know how Mary-Lynette felt about Ash. So, that meant …

"Mark, I want to do something"

"What?" Mark looked at her. In the blue-ish light cast by the stereo, he looked nervous.

"I want to see Ash. He won't come here so I'm going to go to him. I know the address, it's in Vegas. All I have to do is go, but Claudine won't agree. Will you help me?"

Now he looked excited.

"Excellent! I'll get the permission we need, and I bet I can get the girls in on it too!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I just wanted you to get me out of the loop! That wasn't an invite along!"

"Look, either I come or you don't go. I want to meet Circle Daybreak as well as seeing my more-or-less brother-in-law. And it's in Vegas! Hello? Bright lights, city nights! So, your choice, us too, or no-go."


	4. 23rd of December Mary Lynette

"I still don't like this"

"Look, we'll be back in time for school. The girls want to see their brother and we want to go to. Please stop worrying" Mark used his most persuasive tone on Claudine as Mary-Lynette threw their suitcases into the trunk of her truck. It had been a replacement for the station wagon and had a removable lid on the back for her stargazing equipment.

The lid was on now and they were nearly ready to go. All they had to do was pick up the vampire sisters (whom they had told last night after doubling back quickly to the farm) and they would be on their way. But typical Claudine was trying to stop them going at the last moment.

"We're gonna be late!" Mary-Lynette yelled, hopping in the driver's seat and fastening her seatbelt. "Mark, do you want your girlfriend to be mad?"

"Bye" Mark pecked Claudine on the cheek and jumped in the passenger seat. Mary-Lynette stepped on the gas and waved through the window as the house became a cloud of dust in the wind. Mark scrambled for his seatbelt. By the time he had it, they were at the farm, the girls waiting on the porch. Before Mark had opened his door to help, Jade was at the door, pulling him out to kiss him. Rowan slipped in the passenger side and, while Jade, Kestrel and Mark stowed bags in the trunk, she went over the route with Mary-Lynette. They would swap drivers at Boise and stay overnight in Salt Lake City.

Jade, Kestrel and Mark scrambled in the backseat and, after warning from Mark, put on their seatbelts. Just to annoy him, Mary-Lynette began the car at about three kmph. Then turned up the heat to about a hundred.


	5. 24th of December Mary Lynette

**24th of December**

"I'm driving home for Christmas, yeah, got bright lights all around..." Mary-Lynette was happy. It was dark, they had just passed the 'Fabulous Las Vegas' sign and were not too far away from her home, from her other half, from Ash. The Volcano erupted as they passed, causing everyone to go "oooooooooohhh"

"How far now?" Kestrel asked. Of the sisters, she hated this long drive the most. Jade was with her soulmate and Rowan was naturally calm, but Kestrel was restless. Rowan checked the map.

"About ten minutes Kes. Don't worry, I'm sure we wont get locked out"

Her sarcasm was not received well but her timing was. Mary-Lynette hummed happily along to the jaunty tune.

Ten more minutes.


	6. 24th of December Ash

Ash was in a sulk. He didn't mean to be but he was. Everyone else had someone. And he didn't. It was always harder in the evenings, when night had fallen.

James and Poppy were sitting with him in the main common room. Others were there but they were wrapped up with each other. James had been teasing Ash all day about other things to try and keep his mind off being alone and the result was Ash was ready to rip James' throat out.

"You know what my favourite memory of Circle Daybreak is? When you referred to yourself as one of us. You didn't even realise you were doing it, and that means-"

"Ok, get here so I can knock your head off!" Ash snarled, leaping up into a fighting crouch. James got up and matched his pose to show he accepted the challenge, grinning.

The room became fuller and more attentive suddenly. Keller, on two legs, and Galen, on four, prowled into the room from one of the corridors. Rashel and Quinn looked up from playing with Timmy. Lord Thierry and Lady Hannah stopped decorating the enormous tree and Gillian and David moved to get a better view.

The two boys edged around, neither exposing their backs, both trying to work out weak spots. James lashed out, aiming for Ash's chin, but before the punch was halfway there Ash had leapt back. They circled again, swapping sides this time.

Ash's eyes flickered around him briefly, looking for possible weapons. Then he straightened from the crouch, his eyes fixed on something. Everyone, including James, turned to see what he was looking at. To them, it was a human girl, pretty but not overly so.

To Ash, it was his personal angel.

"Mare…" he breathed. She smiled, a breathtaking smile of joy. Pushing past everyone, Ash grabbed her around the waist and held her close, nearly crying with happiness.

His Christmas Miracle had come, his soulmate, his Mary-Lynette.

* * *

**Ok, that's it! Hope you liked the Christmas fluff. **

**Kat**


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